Piston-ported volume displacement means accommodating multiple, work effecting components



y 1965 J A. HARDMAN 3,250,931

PISTON-PORTED VOLUME DISPLACEMENT MEANS AGCOMMODATING MULTIPLE, WORKEFFECTING (JOMPONENTS Filed Dec. 31, 1962 14 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.

INVENTOR. JAMES A. HARDMAN ATTORNEY May 10, 1966 .1. A. HARDMAN3,250,931 PISTON-PORTED VOLUME DISPLACEMENT MEANS AGCOMMODATINGMULTIPLE, WORK EFFECTING COMPONENTS Filed D60. 31, 1962 14 Sheets-Sheet2 HIS ATTORNEY May 10, 1966 J. A. HARDMAN PISTON-PORTED VOLUMEDISPLACEMENT MEANS ACCOMMODATING MULTIPLE, WORK EFFECTING COMPONENTSFiled Dec. 31, 1962 14 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

JAMES A. HARDMAN BY HIS ATTORNEY May 10, 1966 J. A. HARDMAN 3,

PISTON-PORTED VOLUME DISPLACEMENT MEANS ACCOMMODATING MULTIPLE, WORKEFFECTING COMPONENTS Filed Dec. 31, 1962 14 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

JAMES A. HARDMAN 179 V A HIS ATTORNEY BY WMWW 3,250,931 ATING May 10,1966 J. A. HARDMAN ME DISPLACEMENT MEANS ACCOMMOD PISTON-PORTED VOLUWORK EFFECTING COMPONENTS MULTIPLE,

14 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 31, 1962 INVENTOR. JAMES A. HARDMAN BY %MWHI ATTORNEY May 10, 1966 J. A. HARDMAN 3,250,931 PISTON-PORTED VOLUMEDISPLACEMENT MEANS ACCOMMODATING MULTIPLE, WORK EFFECTING COMPONENTSFiled Dec. 31, 1962 14 Sheets-Sheet 6 266 INVENTOR.

JAMES A. HARDMAN BY 8 ATTORNE May 10, 1966 J. A. HARDMAN PISTON-PORTEDVOLUME DISPLACEMENT MEANS ACCOMMODATING MULTIPLE, WORK EFFECTINGCOMPONENTS Filed Dec. 31, 1962 14 Sheets-Sheet '7 LPS INVENTOR.

JAMES A. HARD AN May 0, 1966 J. A. HARDMAN 3,250,931

PISTONPORTED VOLUME DISPLACEMENT MEANS ACCOMMODATING MULTIPLE, WORKEFFECTING COMPONENTS 14 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Dec. 31, 1962 INVENTOR.JAMES A. HARDMAN HIS ATTORNEY y 1966 J. A. HARDMAN 3,250,931

PISTON-PORTED VOLUME DISPLACEMENT MEANS ACCOMMODATING MULTIPLE, WORKEFFECTING COMPONENTS Filed D80. 31, 1962 14 Sheets-Sheet 10 FIG. 38 640INVENTOR. JAMES A. HARDMAN 652 FIG. 57

FIG. 36 HI ATTORNEY 3,250,931 ATING May 10, 1966 J. A. HARDMANPISTON-PORTED VOLUME DISPLACEMENT MEANS ACCOMMOD MULTIPLE, WORKEFFECTING COMPONENTS 14 Sheets-Sheet 12 Filed Dec. 31, 1962 0 45 90 I35I80 225 270 3l5 360 45 90 I35 I80 225 270 3l5 360 FIG. 48

FIG. 47

INVENTOR.

JAMES A HAR MAN IS ATTORNEY May 10, 1966 J. A. HARDMAN 3,250,931

PISTON-PORTED VOLUME DISPLACEMENT MEANS ACGOMMODATING MULTIPLE, WORKEFFECTING COMPONENTS Filed Dec. 31, 1962 14 Sheets-Sheet 13 0 aso 3I5210 225 I80 I 90 270 225 I80 I I I FIG.

FIG. 49

O 360 315 270 225 I I35 45 360 3I5 270 225 I80 I35 FIG. 52

FIG. 5|

INVENTOR.

JAMES A. HARDMAN BY IS ATTORNE United States Patent 3,250,931PISTON-PORTED VOLUME DiSlLACEMEN-T MEANS ACCOMMODATING MULTIPLE, WORKEFFECTING COMPONENTS James A. Hardman, 225 West 4th North, Logan, UtahFiled Dec. 31, 1962, Ser. No. 249,554 35 Claims. (Cl. 31075) This is acontinuation-in-part of the inventors application entitled Fluid PumpSystem, Serial No. 181,- 616, filed March 22, 1962, which is now to beabandoned.

The present invention relates to volume displacement apparatus, such asfluid pumps, compressors, fluid-pressure driven motors,motor-generators, engines of internal combustion, steam, and othertypes, wherein porting is affected through a sweeping-type registry ofpiston apertures and cylinder ports, and, more particularly, toapparatus of the type described wherein multiple, work affectingcomponents such as plural generators, pumping cylinders, motors, and soforth, may be coupled to or rendered integral parts of the volumedisplacement apparatus in permissible balanced condition, and, further,wherein the design of the apparatus lends itself to a high degree ofreliability in use and to standard manufacturing practices not requiringexcessively close machining tolerances.

Principal objects of the present invention are to provide' single-actingor double-acting, single or opposed piston, sleeve value volumedisplacement means, including liquid pumps, gaseous fluid compressors,engines, motors, and motor generators, wherein multiple, work eflectingcomponents such as plural generators, pumping cylinders and motors maybe coupled thereto or rendered integral parts thereof in a permissiblebalanced condition, to provide for simple, vibration-free, high speed,quietly operating volume displacement means; to provide high speed pumpand compressor means which can be driven by two, economicallyconstructed motors, or high speed engine means to drive two generators;to provide low stage and high stage compression in each of two cylinderswherein the displacement of the piston rod common to the pistons of bothcylinders establishes the volume difference for the two stages of eachcylinder; to provide circulating lubricating coolant flow within thepiston rod to cool the compression rings associated therewith, and toprovide the same for the lubrication and temperature control to allstructure, including pistons, requiring the same; to provide balancedpower input to and take-off from a piston rod by novel pivot means atthe juncture of the piston rod and shuttle structure, and, in connectionwith the latter, to eliminate imbalance of power input and outputresulting from the backlash inequality of gearing tolerances in thedrive and take-off means therefor, and to provide balanced input fromonly one side of a two-rotor (flywheel) input; to provide atwo-cylinder, double acting piston, pump means wherein four independentstages of compression can be obtained with but two cylinders; to providea pump, air compressor motor, motor-generator, and engine which, byreason of their sleeve valves, may be driven at very high speeds, speedswhich are considerably above those generally considered appropriate and,in connection with compressors, which conventionally used reed and platevalves, for example, can accommodate; to provide alternate means forpivoting the shuttle to the piston rod in the subject volumedisplacement apparatus construction; to provide optimum heat transferand dissipation in the present struc ture by supplying multiple coolingand lubricating channels in the spherical bearings, sockets, and shuttlearm of the shuttle associated therewith, wherein the fiow of lubricantflowing in said channels is intermittent, forming successive, pressuredlubrication charges which are constantly being replaced at these areasby fresh cooling lubricant; to eliminate excessive, peak loads on pistonrod (and other) carrier bearings resulting from the machining deviationsfrom theoretical true values and from motor input differences wheremotors are employed; to provide self-aligning bearings and pivotalconnection between the piston rod and shuttle of the structure so as topermit a resilient bushing, which is incorporated in the structure inone embodiment, to meliorate and distribute such excessive peak loads;to cushion the shock in shuttle and piston rod bearings caused by thebacklash of gears when marked power change occurs; to assure equal loadon spherical bearings in case of machining irregularities or unevenwear, thus avoiding peak loads beyond the lubricant film strength; toprovide relevant embodiments a balanced output (or input) irrespectiveof the speed ratio of gearing of the two power lanes leading to themotion transforming mechanism of the structure; to provide an adequate,uniform, and continuous main flow of cooling lubricant through thejournal and piston rod system of the. subject structure, and thisnotwithstanding the intermittent charges of pressured lubricant at theshuttles spherical bearings (or rotor journals) which it supplies; toprovide volume displacement apparatus of the type described to drive apair of generators respectively coupled to or included in opposite powerlanes of said ap paratus and, optionally, to include saftey means forcutting off input power to said apparatus when said generators are inobjectionable imbalance; to provide volume displacement apparatus of thetype described to be driven by a pair of motors in opposite input powerlanes leading to or included in said apparatus and, optionally, toinclude safety means for cutting off input power to said motors when theload of said input power lanes are in objectional imbalance; to providea cooling spray to the underside of the crown of a piston and to theinside of its sleeve, to dissipate excessive temperature; to eliminatepiston thrust and compression rings in the subject, volume displacementapparatus and, instead provide a high-speed, sleeve effect whichutilizes a carbon or other low-friction cylinder liner so as to avoidthe presence of lubricant or other foreign matter where the presence ofsuch in the pumped medium is objectionable; to provide circumscribingrings of pressure circulating flow of oil about the piston means of avacuum pump 50 as to insure full seal-out of back-pressure, and,optionally, to pressure feed said oil through said cylinder in a circuithaving necessary oil-conditioning means if needed, and, further toprovide a suitable filter to recover oil entrained in the exhaust; toprovide motion transforming structure wherein a compressor cylindersupplies scavenging air to an internal combustion cylinder and thiswhere the pistons of the respective cylinders are common to a singlepiston rod and, ad-

vantageously, are provided scavenging air communicapump unit and drivemeans therefor, showing partially .in section an assembly of one of twocylinders employed.

The cylinder stroke lay-out is shown reduced in scale to the strokeshown in the drive.

3 FIGURE 2 is a side elevation, partially in section and broken away,showing geared power takeoff from (or power input to) the two rotors ofa representative fluid pump or compressor, and further showing an endview of the novel pivotal connections between the shuttle and pistonrod.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary plan view, partially in section atthe piston rod, showing a preferred pivotal connection between arepresentative shuttle and piston rod, as well as coolant flow meansextending through the piston rod.

'FIGURE 4 is a view, partially in section, and taken along the line 44in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a top, fragmentary view, partially in section, of thestructure of FIGURE 4, showing principal additional details of theshuttle construction.

FIGURE 6 is a sectioned elevation taken along the line 6-6 in FIGURE 3,showing construction details of the universal cross member with itslubrication channels.

FIGURE 7 is a plan view, partially in section, of alternate universalmeans for mounting shuttle and push rod; lubricant passages are alsoshown together with a spherical bearing journaling one arm of theshuttle to its rotor; this figure is similar in orientation to FIGURE 3but is rotated 90 in a counter-clockwise direction with respect thereto.

FIGURE 8 is a view of the cross member only, shown in FIGURE 7, which istransposed in elevation to the right of FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 9 is a section of the cross member, taken on line 99 in FIGURE 7,with the side tie member re moved and oil channels shown.

FIGURE 10 is a view, shown principally in section, and taken along theline 10-10 in FIGURE 7 when the piston rod is at mid-stroke position, ofa representative rotor, spherical bearing and shuttle arm, showing thenovel coolant and lubrication mechanism of the spherical bearing andshuttle arm.

FIGURE 11 is a view, taken along the line 11-11 in FIGURE 7 and rotated90 in a clockwise direction, for convenience of illustration, of arespective one of the removable side clamp members shown in the assemblyof FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 12 illustrates yet another alternate means,.

FIGURE 16 is a View taken along the line 16-16 in FIGURE 12.

FIGURE 17 is a fragmentary elevation, broken away andpartially'sectioned for convenience of illustration, of a volumedisplacement apparatus (pump or compressor, here) having a single,single-acting piston, according to one embodiment of'the invention.

FIG. 18 is an enlarged, fragmentary section of the piston of FIGURE 17,showing the construction and attachment of the piston rod to the piston.

FIGURE 19 is a transverse, sectional view of.a contfigurated spacer usedin connection with exhaust and intake conduit attachment flanges inFIGURE 17.

FIGURE 20 illustrates the structure of FIGURE 17 wherein the same ismodified to include a pair of opposed pistons operating in respectivecylinders, and is in reduced scale.

FIGURE 21 illustrates a plan view of an embodiment of the inventionwherein the same takes the form of a twostage air compressor.

FIGURE 22 illustrates a partial cylinder in which the piston rod and oilwiping gland portray the use of a low friction lubricating sleeve, suchas a carbon sleeve, interposed between the piston and cylinder wall.

FIGURE 23 represents a partial cylinder in section with oil seal ringsprovided to seal the piston for vacuum pumping.

FIGURE 24 is an elevation of a double acting air cooled cylinder useablein the present invention.

FIGURE 25 is a fragmentary bottom view of the structure of FIGURE 24 andillustrates a conduit mounted on one of the port groups.

FIGURE 26 is a plan view, broken away for convenience of illustration,of the cylinder in FIGURE 24, showing 'in dotted lines a representingponting for a cylinder.

FIGURE 27 portrays in elevation a double-acting piston partially insection to show the piston rod mounting flanges and intake and exhaustapertures.

FIGURE 28 is an end view of the piston of FIGURE 27 with the medialpartition plate in place to show the attachment orifices.

FIGURE 29 is a representation of the port groups on one side of a liquidcooled cylinder, showing also the O-ring seals, water jackets andspecial sleeve designed to meet requirements of contamination-free,pumped medium.

FIGURE 30 is a fragmentary bottom view of the cylinder of FIGURE 29,showing mounting holes and port manifold in place with attachments.

FIGURE 31 is a top view, broken away for convenience of illustration, ofthe cylinder in FIGURE 29, showing in dotted lines the structure andlocation of cylinder ports and O-ring seals for the water jacket sleeveemployed.

FIGURE 32 is a plan view, partially in section, of a motor-generatorunit, to show the assembly of two doubleacting cylinders and twogenerators as well as the piston rod seals and guides thereof.

FIGURE 33 is an enlarged fragmentary section of one of the pistons ofFIGURE 32, showing in section the piston rod assembly therein and theoil cooling circuit em ployed.

FIGURE 34 is a section, taken at 3434 in FIGURE 32, showing the cylinderport conduit locations with respect to the cylinder.

FIGURE 35' is an enlarged elevation view of one of the double-actingpistons of FIGURE 32 and showing the fluid apertures for displacementcontrol.

FIGURE 36 is a plan-view largely in section of an engine generator unitwherein one cylinder provides a scavenging pump for the internalcombustion cylinder of the opposite side, to operate two balanced outputgenerators.

FIGURE 37 is a section enlargement of the power piston of the engine ofFIGURE 36, showing the piston and the piston rod assembly.-

FIGURE 38 is a diagrammatic roll-out of the air cylinder shown in FIGURE36, with a roll-out of the piston superimposed thereon to portrayporting functions throughout piston travel, and is fragmentary.

FIGURE 39 is an elevation view of a single-acting piston, showingmultiple porting for large, high-speed pistons.

FIGURE 40 is a typical cylinder roll-out accommodating the piston ofFIGURE 39, showing multiple porting facility for large volume flow.

FIGURES 4144 illustrate a roll-out of the piston in FIGURE 39superimposed over a roll-out of the cylinder in FIGURE 40 to show foursequential positions, in that order, of the piston apertures and theirrelationship to the cylinder ports of a single-acting, air'compressorcylinder of large volume as in FIGURE 17.

FIGURES 4548 depict piston roll-outs superimposed over-cylinderroll-outs at four sequential positions (12 oclock, 9 ocloc-k, 6 oclock,and 3 oclock) of the doubleacting air compressor cylinder and piston ofFIGURES 24-28, which is also suitable for use in FIGURE 1.

FIGURES 49-52 are overlays, at piston positions 12 oclock, 9 oclock, 6oclock, and 3 oclock, respectively,

of a roll-out of a representative piston over a representative cylinder(as in FIGURES 32-35), wherein groups of intake and exhaust aperturessequentially register over respective, single cylinder ports, asdesired, and will apply to liquid pumps and fluid-driven motors.

FIGURE 53 is an elevation of a piston according to yet another form ofthe invention, wherein reduced piston length is accomplished by having asingle piston skirt, with the skirt accommodating both intake andexhaust apertures.

FIGURE 54 is a roll-out of a cylinder accommodating the piston of FIGURE53.

FIGURES 55-58 are overlays, at piston positions 12 oclock, 9 oclock, 6oclock, and 3 oclock, respectively, of a roll-out of the piston ofFIGURE 53 over a roll-out of the cylinder of FIGURE 54, indicating thetimes and positions when piston apertures approach, enter, and leaveregistry of' respective cylinder ports.

In, FIGURE 1 central housing 10 is provided with carrier bearing plates11 and 11, and a pair of power generating sources 12 and 12' such aselectric motors are respectively mounted thereto and to thecentralhousing 10 by bolts 13 and 13'- the ends only of which are shown. Eachof the carrier bearing plates 11 and 11 is provided with respectiveseats 14 and 14' for seating the respective carrier bearings 15 and 15.Rotor members 16 and 16' are each integrally provided with hubs 17 and17' (the latter of which is supplied with gear teeth) and also areaxially afiixed in 90 transverse relationship to shafts 18 and 18', ofpower sources 12 and 12', which preferably extend therewithin in apressed or other fixed relationship. The hubs 17 and 17., in a preferredembodiment of the invention, engage the inner races of carrier bearings15 and 15' so as to secure the same within the respective bearing seats14 and 14'. Each of the motor shafts 18 and 18' is provided withrespective axial, stub apertures 19 and 19 and with respective, radialapertures (one or .more in number), designated as 20 and 20'communicating therewith. Apertures 19, 19', 20 and 20 comprise lubricantpassageways which proceed through rotor members 16 and 16' to cetrainbearings and other structure as will be hereinafter described.

The shafts 18 and 18 with their respective rotors 16 and 16 havenominally common axes of rotation coincident with axis 21 and nominallytransverse to the piston rod axis and intersecting therewith. The rotors16 and 16' are rotated in opposite directions and journal a shuttle 22.As shall be hereinafter explained in detail, the shuttle 22 isuniversally journaled thereto by spherical bearings seated withinrespective rotors 16 and 16' at nominally equally eccentrically situatedsockets of the rotors, such that upon the opposing rotation of the tworotor members 16 and 16, the shuttle 22 will be simultaneouslytranslated back and forth in the direction A and A and also will becaused to be continuously rotationally displaced about the axis ofpiston rod 23 and at right angles thereto. We shall now turn ourattention to a discussion of the cylinder and stuffing gland structure,and related structure associated with piston rod 23. Air cooledcylinders 27 and 27' are mounted via their base flanges 28 and 28 torespective flanges 29 and 29, of stuffing gland members 36' and 30, andto the central housing 10 by a plurality of stud and nut attachments 31and 31'. While the cylinder pair is shown as a pair of air-cooledcylinders having fins 32 and 32, it will be obvious that other types ofcylinder constructions are possible. Each cylinder will be supplied withwall orifices 33, 34, 35 and 36 which receive respective conduit-s 37,38, 39 and 40. These orifices and conduits are all outlet or exhaustorifices and conduits; intake orifices and conduits are delineated as 42and 43', 44' and 45, respectively. It

tions, are substantially identical. The cylinder construc-- tions at theupper half of the figure are given regular numbers where as that of thelower portion of the figure are given prime numbers.

Cooling chamber cover 46 is mounted by cap screws or other attachments47 to the cylinder member 48, of cylinder 27, and includes internallythreaded boses 49 and 50 for receiving conduits 51 and 52. Inverted cupmember 53 is likewise secured to cylinder member 48 by attachments 47and defines with cooling chamber cover 46 a cooling chamber 54 which,with the flow of coolant therewithin, serves to cool the respectivecylinder head of each of the two-cylinders used. There is need for afavorably heat-exchange relationship at cooling chamber 54 to conductfrom the cylinder area the heat which is generated by compressionoccuring within the cylinders in the course of the reciprocation ofpiston rod 23. Again, the cylinder constructions of both halves of thestructure are functionally identical and so only onehalf will bedescribed in detail. The above remains true, of course, even thoughfunctional requirements may dictate differences in displacement volumesof the two cylinders for various operating requirements.

It will be seen hereinafter that for certain design reasons andparticularly in the area of multi-stage compressors, the piston roddiameter dimensions together with piston and cylinder dimensions may bealtered and varied as desired for any one of a number of reasons.Notwithstanding these, however, it is conceived that the generalstructural design features, excluding possible alterations indimensions, will obtain as that shown in the upper half of FIGURE 1.

Plate 55 is secured in place by machine screws 56 (one only beingshown), and the latter are threaded into stuffing gland members 30.Plate 55 thus retains the spherical bearing socket halves 57 and 58against washer-type spacers 59 and sleeve-type spacers 6t). Disposed,between the latter spacers, as shown, are conventional compression rings61 and conventional oil wiper rings 62. Both sets of rings 61 and 62 areretained in place by conventional, self-contained annular springs, withthe compression rings 61 serving to maintain compression and forpressure during the back-stroke of the respective piston, and the oilwiper rings 62 serve to preclude the passage of lubricant on the outersurface of the piston rod 23 into area 63. The purpose, of course, forkeeping lubricant out of the area 63 is to preclude the necessity incertain applications of filtering lubricant from the compressed air orother compressed or pumped materials, for certain applications, and, inaddition, to proclude general loss of lubricant from the lubricatingsystem of the structure.

Bearing 64 is of a spherical, self-aligning type, and its function,together with the other characteristics of its mounting within thestufiing gland assembly are more fully described in the inventorsco-pending United States patent application entitled, Two Piston SleevePort Engine, Serial No. 119,485, filed June 26, 1961, now abandoned,which is incorporated herein by way of reference and fully made a parthereof.

The central housing '10 comprises, in effect, a sump of lubricantreservoir in proximity with which is disposed a conventional oil pump 65adapted to receive oil or other lubricant at intake 66. The pump 65 willinclude a shaft 67 to which gear 68 is pinned or otherwise axiallysecured. The pump gear 68 will be disposed in mesh with gear teethprovided on hub 17 of rotor member 16' so that the pump will be driventhereby by the power source used. The lubrication circuit is shownsomewhat in schematic form, with phantom lines indicating generalconduit routing. One orifice 69 of pump 65 will be coupled by conduit 70to a respective stationary collar 71 circumscribing motor shafts 18'.Collars 71 will of course be by annular groove 72'. This construction isidentical with respect to the motor shaft 18; hence, the latter will notbe described in detail except for the fact that T 73 and conduit 74provide this latter result upon the coupling of T 73 to another pumpoutput 69 (69 corresponding to 69 for the remaining cylinder). Anotherconduit 77 is threaded into stuifing gland member 30 at passageway 78,the latter taking the form of a radial bore communicating with returnpassageway 79, the two passageways forming communication with eachothervia annular groove 80. Annular groove 80 may be machined into thestufiing gland member 30 before stuffing gland plate 81" is welded orotherwise affixed thereto to cover the same.

Conduit 52 leads from threaded boss 50 directly to and is attached atthe orifice 81 of central housing 10. The same holds true for conduit 52and its interconnection with the return orifice 81' in FIGURE 1. Thus,it will be observed that the lubricant pump 65 supplies lubricant underpressure to the rotor members 16 and 16 via passageways 19' and 20', 19and 20, and so forth and supplies lubricant as a coolant for thestuifing gland 30 via passageway 78, and so forth and additionallysupplies a coolant via conduits 51 and 52 to the cooling chambers 54 ofa representative cylinder. Further, in being in communication with theinterior of central housing 10, the lubricant is also supplied to pistonrod shaft 23 so that an appropriate lubricating film may be suppliedthis shaft as the same reverses and rotates with the shuttle, Withinspherical bearing 64 (on both sides of shuttle 22).

As shall be seen with more particularity hereinafter, it shall bementioned at this point that a journaling pin 82 is provided within theshuttle 22 to connect the shuttle 22 to piston rod 23. Again, this willbe described with more particularity hereinafter.

At this juncture it is important to note the structure at theextremities of piston rod 23. The piston rod 23 is provided with a pairof tapered ends (one being shown) as at 83 to which is keyed as at 84 toa mounting flange member 85. The opposite ends of piston rod 23 arethreaded as at 86 and receive a pair of securement nuts 87 and 88.Piston 89 proper includes conventional rings 90, with the head portionthereof at 91 being riveted at 92 to mounting flange member and also toan upper steel ring 93. Mounting flange member 85 and also to an uppersteel ring 93. Mounting-flange member 85 will also preferably be made ofsteel so that when the piston is fabricated from aluminum, for example,distortion and other wear problems will be eliminated and a securemounting assured.

It should be noticed in passing that for maintenance purposes it ispossible that the cup member 53 may be removed, the nuts 87 and 88removed so that the piston rod 23 can be released from its connectionwith piston 89 and the mounting flange member 85.

In FIGURE 2 is shown a pair of carrier bearing cover plates 94 and 94which seat bearings 15 and 15 as before, which are similar to thecarrier bearing plates 11 and 11' of FIGURE 1, but which this time arenow provided with lubricant passageways 95.

Instead of being motor shafts, the shafts 96 and 96' will generally bestub shafts, preferably, and there will be mounted thereon in a splinedor other keyed mounting a respective pinion gear 97 on each of theshafts 96 and 96'. Each of the gears 97 (only one being shown) will bedisposed in mesh with a ring gear 98 which is secured by cap screws orother attachments 99, or other means, to a disc 100, the latter beingintegral with or otherwise secured to drive shaft 101.

End bells 102 and 103 are secured to the central housing in FIGURE 2,and outboard journaling bearings 104 and 105 journal the shafts 96 and96' and have their covers bolted to end bells 102 and 103. Bolted orotherwise atfixed to the end bells 102 and 103 and also the centralhousing 10 is a side bell structure 106 which is provided with ajournaling boss 107 suitably interiorly shouldered at 108 and 109 forreceiving carrier bearings 110 and 111, the latter journaling driveshaft 101. As indicated in FIGURE 2 the drive shaft 101 is coupled to asource of power 112 adapted to rotate the same. If desired, a coverinspection plate 113 may be secured to the central housing 10 and beaflixed thereto by means of bolts or other attachments 114. A shoulder249 abuts the inner race of bearing to hold the bearing securely inposition. Correspondingly, at the opposite end of shaft 101 there issupplied a washer 115 and a pair of nuts 116 and 117 which thread ontoshaft 101 and which retain the bearings 110 and 111 in place.Preferably,'a cap 118 will be threaded into the boss 107, as shown, topreclude oil leakage, the entrance of foreign matter, and so forth.

At this juncture there will be discussed the relative merits of the tworespective approaches taken in FIG- URES 1 and 2 for driving motormembers 16 and 16. It will be noted in FIGURE 1 that two prime moverssuch as electric motors of oppositely revolving character are directlyconnected by therespective motor shafts to the two rotor members 16 and16. On the other hand, in FIGURE 2 is illustrated a single mover such asan electric motor 112, which is used to drive a single input shaft 101and, consequently, and by reason of the inclusion of a ring gear 98 anda pair of pinions 97, the two rotors 16 and 16 which are caused torotate in opposite directions. One obvious advantage of the FIGURE 2structure over that shown in FIGURE 1 is that but a single power sourceis needed; further, various speed change ratios are obtainable in FIGURE2. Concerning ourselves with general principles, it should be noted thatthe motors 12 and 12' in FIGURE 1 should be substantially identical incharacteristics and synchronized; however, it will be understood andwill be shown hereinafter that there are certain compensating featureswhich are built into the shuttle 22, piston rod 23 combination whichcompensate for any unbalance which may exist due to unbalance or lack ofsynchronization between the two motors 12 and 12. In FIGURE 2, however,it will be noted that since gears are employed directly within thestructure that an automatic speed reduction is obtainable so that therotors 16 and 16' may be driven at a different speed from that of theinput shaft 101. It will be shown hereinafter that the shuttle pistonrod combination even in this context will compensate for backlash andmounting errors as well as other existing machining tolerances presentin the system which are excessive.

Consideration will now be turned to FIGURES 3 through 6 wherein is shownthe detailed structure of the shuttle 22 and piston rod 23 together withtheir interconnecting, mounting means.

Shuttle 22 includes a shuttle member 118 having a pair of shuttle arms119 and 120. The construction of the shuttle arms 119 and 120 areidentical and hence only one will be discussed. .It should be mentionedat this juncture that the shuttle member .11 8 is hollow but is providedwith closed ends 121 (one being shown). Each of the shuttle arms 1'19and 120 includes a band or annular perforate region 122 which ischaracterized by a plurality of oil passageways 123 arranged somewhatlike a band around the peripheryof shuttle arm 119. These passageways.123 all communicate from the exterior surface of each of the shuttlearms 119 and .120 to the respective hollow interior -124 and 125 of theshuttle member 11 8. Disposed on each arm is a slight relief recess 1%over which the journal-ing spherical ball of the shuttle arm,hereinafter described, overrides so that a shoulder will not bedeveloped on the respective arms.

Centrally disposed through shuttle 22 is piston rod 23 which, as shownin FIGURE 3, is disposed within and held in place by resilient bushing127 the operation of which will be discussed fully hereinafter. Thisbushing 127 is seated within aperture 128 of the shuttle member 118 atthe enlarged central portion 129 thereof. A

seat 130 may be supplied the resilient bushing 127 as re quired.

An oil return tube 131 is illustrated in section centrally in FIGURE 5.In actually a pair of oil return tubes 131 are employed, and each has athreaded end 132 which threads into a respective locating aperture 133of piston rod 23. This construction is identical on both sides ofshuttle 22. The ends of the oil return tubes 131 are held in centralpositions by perforate or other type, washerlike retainers 131' whichare adapted to pass lubricant transversely therethrough. Communicatingwith the interior of each oil return tube .131 is a respective aperture134 which is blinded 011 but which communicates with lateral aperture135 leading outwardly of piston rod 23 and interior of the centralhousing 10. Again, the construction is the same on both sides ofshuttle22 so that there will also be an aperture '135 as shown. It willbe noted, however, that the resilient bushing 127 and seat therefor arelocated only on one side of the shuttle 22.

Further detail of the structure is illustrated in FIG- URE 6 wherein isseen a cross member 136 which is affixed to a piston rod 23 by means ofjournal-ing pin 137.

It will be noted that there is some clearance between piston rod 23 andthe cross member 136. This clearance merely by way of example will be ofthe order of, say, %o %000 Of an inch, thereby permitting sufiicientmovement of piston rod 23 about the axis of pin 137 for certaincompensating purposes as will be explained later.

In FIGURES 3 and 6 are illustrated journaling bosses 138 which aredesigned to receive a journal cap 139 to be secured thereto by capscrews.140. It will be noted that the apertures 143 and 144 are blinded oh? bysetscrews 145 and 146. These apertures are not in mutualintercommunication. Also will be noted the apertures 14-7 and 148which-are disposed in communication between the apertures 141 and 142,respectively, of pin 137 and also with their respective apertures 149.Apertures 14 9 in FIGURE 6 registers with aperture 150 (see also FIG-URE 4) of the shuttle member 118 which in turn registers with theinterior 124 of the shuttle member. Both sides of shuttle 22 will bedesigned similarly; hence, but one side is shown in detail and insection.

There are thus two circuits for oil flow as regards the shuttle, pistonrod combination. One of these circuits will now be discussed and theremaining circuit will be understood as being identicaL'only associatedwith the opposite side of the shuttle and the opposite extremity of thepiston rod. Oil will be received by rotor member 16 as hereinbeforedescribed and is routed to the spherical bearing journal (hereinafterdescribed in detail) which slideably receives in a universal connectionthe shuttle arm 119 of shuttle 22. Oil enters the plurality of aperturesor passageways 123 in FIGURES to proceed down the interior passageway125 (similar to 124 at the left side of shuttle member 1 13), and thencetoward the center of the shuttle to its aperture or passageway 150 (theremaining passageway 150 associated with the re maining arm being shownin FIGURE 6). The oil lubricant, hence, proceeds, as shown in FIGURE 4,down the passageway 150 of shuttle member 118, and aperture 152 of crossmember 1 36, to proceed outwardly therefrom via aperture 149 (seeFIGURES 4 and 6) and upwardly therefrom via passageway-147 andpassageways 141 and 144 to the passageway 153 into an associated half ofthe piston rod 23. Oil proceeds thence between the inner wall of pistonrod 23 and the outer wall of oil return tube 131 to double back near theextremity of the piston rod, thence back through the associated oilreturn tube 131. On completing the return route through oil return tube131 the oil is discharged from a metering aperture 135 into the oil bathof the central housing 10. An identical lubricating circuit will beunderstood in connection with the remaining half of the piston rod andthe remaining shuttle arm-120.

there may be provided annular grooves 155, 156, and 157 as shown inFIGURE 6. An additional groove 155 (not shown) will likewise be suppliedthe identical, re-

maining left-hand arm of the cross member 136 in FIG- URE 6.

Structure which may be used which is alternate to that illustrated inFIGURES 3 through 6 is shown in FIG- URES 12 through 16. In the drawingsand particularly in FIGURE 13 is illustrated a piston rod 158, identicalin all respects as in the case of piston rod 23, excepting that in thepresent piston rod there will be supplied an enlarged ball portion 159disposed centrally of the piston rod and including thereat threadedfittings 160 and 161 for receiving the threaded end portions 162 and 163of the oil return lines 1 31. As before, the flow of oil will proceedoutwardly to the piston rod extremities between oil return line 131 andpiston rod 158 and, subsequently, will return back to the center of thestructure through the two oil return lines 131. P-assageways 164, 165,and 166 and 167 are supplied as indicated so that theoil returning backto the center of the structure through. oil return lines .131 may spillout.into the oil bath at the central housing 10 of the structure (notshown). This alternate shuttle member 168 includes apertures 169 and1711 for receiving rotation-coupling plugs 171 serving to couple therotation of the shuttle to the piston rod about the piston rods axis butwhich will permit rotational displacements of the piston rod at the ballarea about the two remaining axes thereof.

Plugs 171 are cylindrical in nature but have keying ends 172 whichcooperate with and engage the slots 173 of ball portion 159. The slots173 are both substantially identical in form and are diametricallyopposite with respect to each other. Interior grooves 174 are suppliedfor receiving respective retainer rings 175 which retain the plugs 171in position and serve as limit stops for plugs 171 so as to preventtheir outward travel. It will be noted in connection with FIGURE 13 thatthe contour of the key ends at 172 of the plugs are convex, matching theconcave configuration of slots 173. Other configurations are possible.However, it should be mentioned that whatever the configuration of theseparts, the same should be such that some clearance may be had betweenthe two at the inner extremities of the plugs 171, thereby permittingslight rotational displacement of the piston rod 158 about axis A whichis in the line of sight of the viewer and perpendicular to the plane ofthe paper. correspondingly, the journal fitting of the two plugs 171within their respective apertures enable rotational adjustments ofpiston rod 158 about axis B.

However, the slots will be designed so that there is a relatively closefit between the slots of ball portion 159 and the key ends 172 of plugs171. Thus, the rotation of shuttle member 168 about axis C will produce,and without appreciable tolerance of movement, the simultaneous rotationof piston rod 158 so as to accomplish the porting of the piston cylindercombination.

To complete the structure there is illustrated a cap 176 which issecured to the remainder of the shuttle by means of capscrews 177.Bosses 178 receive plugs 171 as shown in FIGURES l3 and 16. Finally, theenlarged central portion 179 of shuttle 168 accommodates capscrews 177and the cap plate or cover 176.

It will be noted in both embodiments of the shuttle, piston rodcombination constructions thus-far explained that the universalconnections thereof are respectively remote from the intersection of theaxis of the piston rod and shuttle along the piston rod axis. Thoughrigid connection is possible, as shown in FIGURE 17, universalconnection between the piston rod and the shuttle is preferred so as tocompensate for machineor other tive rotor of the structure.

.supplied with pressure heads of lubricant.

errors whereby the axes of the piston rod and the shuttle do not,strictly speaking, intersect for all positions of the former withrespect to the latter during the operation of the structure.

In FIGURE a typical structure is shown illustrating the sphericaljournaling of the shuttle to its representa- Rotor shaft 18 is providedand includes plural, intersecting oil passageways 179 and 180 whichintersect each other. Rotor 16 is keyed to the shaft 10 by key 181.Securement is made fast by the means of washer182 and nut 183. Rotormember 16 is provided with an aperture 184 and an enlarged seat 185 forhearing 187. Bearing ball 188 is spherically journaled within the sockethalves 186 and includes apertures 189, 198, 191 and 192 which arerepresentative ones of two mutually askew sets of passageways preferablyoriginating at the ball periphery in parallel respective ring patterns.

Additional, and likewise radially askew apertures may be provided ifneeded. Interior annular grooves 193 and 194 are also supplied andadditional ones of these grooves may be employed as necessary. It is tobe pointed out that in practice the'number of apertures 189 and 190 willbe quite great and will be drilled into the ball 188 at different anglesso that in fact the ball is perforated at many points. All of theseapertures, however, are preferably directed to come in communicationwith those annular grooves 193 and 194 which are used. The outerextremities of apertures 189, 199, 191, and 192 must be relatively closetogether, however, so these will not sweep outside of the limits of thesocket halves of the bearing.

Particular attention is to be called to this area of discussion. It willbe noted that the socket halves 186 have adjacent chamfered edges whichdelineate a groove 195 traversing peripherally about the ball 188. Itwill be important to note that some of the passageways 89 and 90 will bein communication with groove 189; in such event, clearly there willalways be oil pressure feeds exerted against the surface of the shuttlearm 196, of shuttle member 197, at annular grooves 193, v194; similarly,all other passageways 189 and 190 at their outer ends will supplypressure heads against the inside friction surfaces of socket hal'ves186. The slideable interaction of the shuttle arms with their respectiveball journals 188, when the system is put into operation, will create asimultaneous translation and rotation of the shuttle arms within theirrespective balls 188. This in turn requires a high degree of lubricationand, more importantly, a great amount of heat exchange so that the heatgenerated thereat resulting from friction on both the inside and outsideof the bearing 188 may be carried away very rapidly. It is important tonote that the plurality of shuttle arm member apertures 198 (similar asto location and function of those previously discussed) sweep along andover the pressure head grooves 193 and 194 so that the apertures 198will progressively be (Of course, it will be understood that thepositioning of all of the apertures 198 within arm 196 of our shuttlemember 197 will be such that they will not sweep out of the journal areaof the ball 180.) Hence, what is occurring is a continuous general flowof lubricating coolant through the spherical journal and the shuttlemember 197, this by virtue of intermittent lubricant surges through therespective apertures 198 which are sweeped progressively so that at alltimes some of these apertures are conducting oil and that all remainingapertures are progressively employed, in supplying a multiplicity ofpressurized segments of constantly renewing coolant, in successiverelationship, to conduct the lubricant accordingly and to lubricate thejournal.

To complete the lubricating and coolant structure of the sphericaljournal, annular groove 199 is supplied in the rotor 16 at seat whichcommunicates with radial bores 200 communicating with groove 189.

At this juncture it is important to note that because of the motiontransforming character of the structure there will persist a continuing,sliding friction contact between both inner and outer bearing surfacesof the ball 188 and the associated components, namely, shuttle 197 and,owing to the movement of the ball, in the ball socket halves 186, whichfriction contact produces a great amount of heat. cal bearing isconventionally employed, such double friction action on the inside andoutside of the ball does not occur; hence, the housing of a conventionaljournal is sufiicient to carry away the heat that is generated by borefriction. In the present situation the presence of lubricatingpassageways through the socket halves 186 at the socket half, balljuncture, and-through the ball 188 itself and the shuttle 197 journaledtherewithin affords continuous flow of oil therethrough which will keepthe entire structure at the bearings 188 very cool, thereby precludingthe malfunction attendant to excessive heat production at journals.If'other types of articulative journals for rotor, shuttle intercouplingare used, such as those illustrated in the inventors copendingapplication entitled Two Piston Sleeve Port Engine be fore referenced,then lubricant may be passed through the journals employed in a mannersimilar to that above described with reference to the spherical bearingjournals.

In FIGURE 11 is shown in elevation a detail of a side journaling member29 1, the same being provided with apertures 292 and 293, a bronzesleeve 204 and a tightening bolt 205 which serves to clamp the structureat 202 to the shuttle 197. A pair of these journaling clamps 201 isshown in FIGURE 7 which illustrates the mounting thereof to shuttle 197(similar to shuttle 22). Bronze bushing 294 of each of the journalingmembers 201 receives a respective arm 296, 287 of cross member 298. Adetail of the cross member 298 is illustrated in section in FIGURE 9.The same includes the sectional view of two additional arms 299 and 218,at right angle to the former, and includes intersecting apertures 21?.and 212' for receiving piston rod 23 and pin' 213, respeotively. Thelatter is supplied with oil apertures 214, and 215, 216 and 2 17, anddiameter apertures 218 and 219 communicate with their respectiveapertures 2 14 and 2 15, 2/16 and 217, respectively, thereby supplyingcontinuous oil passageways through the pin 2.13. Additionally, askewapertures 228 and 22 1 are supplied in the cross and these respectivelycommunicate with apertures 222. and 223 thereof. Thus, lubricating oilwill proceed through the structure in FIGURE 7, beginning at the ball188, and from thence will proceed through apertures 198 into theinterior 2 24 of the associated shuttle arm and, therefrom, will proceedthrough radial apertures 2'25 and through journaling clamp apertures 226and subsequently through bronze bushing aperture 227 and radial crossaperture 2628 to enter passageway 2 29 which is blinded off by set-screw230. From passageway 229 the lubricant proceeds through apertures 22?.(see FIGURES 7 and 9), up passageway 228 and through aperture 214,through passageway 218 and out aperture 216 to be urged into the pistonrod at a point between the inner piston rod wall and the return tubes31. The position of these have been heretofore described in connectionwith the structure shown in FIGURE 3.

As shown in FIGURE 9 there will be provided an aperture 23d in theshuttle 197 for admitting piston rod 23. Some clearance, of the order ofto of an inch, for example, will exist between the shuttle and pistonrod 23. As before, metered passageways 2'32 and 233 will be present toconduct oil returning from the oil return tubes 131 to the oil bathwithin housing 10 proper. It is to be noted that there is a universalcoupling in the provision of cross member 298 and associated equipmentto the right of the shuttle member 197 In other contexts where a spheri-

31. IN A VACUUM PUMP INCLUDING A CYLINDER HAVING PORTING PORTSLONGITUDINALLY AND RADIALLY SPACED ABOUT A CENTRAL REGION THEREOF, APISTON POSITIVELY DISPOSED IN SAID CYLINDER AND HAVING PORTING APERTUREMEANS LONGITUDINALLY AND RADIALLY SPACED ABOUT A CENTRAL PORTIONTHEREOF, AND MEANS FOR RECIPROCATING AND OSCILLATING SAID PISTON COUPLEDTHERETO, AN IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING MEANS FOR CIRCULATING OIL UNDERPRESSURE THROUGH SAID CYLINDER, SAID CYLINDER HAVING AT LEAST ONEANNULAR GROOVE DISPOSED IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID CIRCULATING MEANS ANDABOUT AND ALWAYS ADJACENT SAID PISTON AT A CYLINDER AREA WHICH ISUNSWEPT BY SAID PISTON''S PORTING APERTURE MEANS.